‘Liverpool out of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro stakes as primary transfer option emerges’
Liverpool are not believed to be in the running to sign Premier League stars Liam Delap or Joao Pedro as they look to revamp their attack this summer.
Despite Liverpool being on course to lift the Premier League title in Arne Slot’s first season, plans are being put into place to strengthen the club’s forward line in the summer transfer window.
The early stages of the campaign showed an over reliance on Mohamed Salah, with the Egyptian’s 27 strikes contributing to 37% of the goals scored by Liverpool this term.
Couple this with the fitness struggles of Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez’s poor finishing, and the inconsistency shown from Luis Diaz, it has seen the Reds linked with various striker targets ahead of the window opening in June, including Ipswich’s Delap and Pedro of Brighton.
Liverpool to target Bundesliga star in the summer transfer window
According to Lewis Steele, Merseyside Football Reporter at the Daily Mail, he believes that Liverpool will not pursue deals for Liam Delap or Joao Pedro in favour of an up and coming Bundesliga star Hugo Ekitike, answering a question from a reader: “Hugo Ekitike is the name that pops up the most when I speak to people so I think it is fair to say he is one to keep a close eye on.
“The France Under 21 star has scored 19 goals and made eight assists for Eintracht Frankfurt this season and ticks a lot of boxes in terms of his age profile and experience – he is playing every week in a top league and has European experience, too.
“Matheus Cunha will be on the move this summer. I understand the Wolves forward has a £62.5million release clause and the Midlands club are anticipating a lot of interest.
“Liam Delap at Ipswich has been mentioned a lot but I do not think he is a viable candidate – a great player, though – and Joao Pedro of Brighton is similar. There has been talk that Liverpool have lodged an interest in the Brazilian but I don’t believe this to be true at this stage.”
| Delap stats 24/25 | Pedro stats 24/25 |
| Games – 33 | Games – 28 |
| Goals – 12 | Goals – 8 |
| Assists – 2 | Assists – 7 |
Ekitike to have interest from multiple club’s when the window opens
Football Insider Verdict
One of Ekitike’s biggest strengthens is his ability to consistently generate scoring opportunities, with his average of 3.9 shot-creating actions per game, enough to place him in the 94th percentile among forwards in Europe.
The young forward also excels in terms of dribbling metrics, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons among forwards. Despite his six-foot-two-inch frame, Ekitike’s agility and ball control allow him to breeze past defenders, while making him an excellent fit for Liverpool’s attack minded philosophy.
Not only this, but the 22-year-old actively participates in defensive duties, ranking in the 85th and 90th percentiles for interceptions and tackles, respectively, among forwards.
With it likely that Liverpool lose at least one of Jota, Nunez or Diaz this summer, not to mention the fact that uncertainty still hangs over the future of Salah at this stage, the stats show that Ekitike is the best option to replace one of their potential departures.